Netflix’s new romantic comedy/family dramaThe Life Listis a heartwarming story about family, loss, and self-discovery, and these 8 movies are the perfect next watches for those who loved the film.The Life List’scast of charactersstars Sofia Carson as Alex and Connie Britton as Elizabeth. Tragically, Elizabeth passes away due to cancer early in the movie, leaving Alex and her family members reeling—made all the worse for Alex when she realizes her mother hasn’t left her company to Alex as expected.
In fact, Elizabeth is also requiring that Alex completeevery item on the life listbefore she finally gets her inheritance. Although this initially seems harsh, over the course ofThe Life List, Alex truly finds herself again, and she comes to understand her mother so much better as well.Based on these themes, these are the 8 best movies likeThe Life List.
8Eat Pray Love
Released In: 2010
WithThe Life Listbeing focused on a young woman who is completing bucket list items to rediscover herself,Eat, Pray, Lovefeels like an obvious connection. InEat, Pray, Love,Liz Gilbert (Julia Roberts) has a difficult divorce and, in the wake of that marriage ending, she goes on a trip abroad. Throughout that trip, she has myriad experiences and beautiful moments that remind her of who she truly is and what she values in life.
Eat, Pray, Loveis a well-known movie, and it is often a go-to reference for movies of this nature.Eat, Pray, Love’sRotten Tomatoes scores, which are currently 35% for critics and 42% for audiences, are admittedly rather low in spite of that. Among the complaints are the plot’s pace and the privilege of the protagonist and the story. It’s clearEat, Pray, Lovehas staying power, though, and for those who lovedThe Life Listand are looking for something similar,Eat, Pray, Loveis worth the watch.
7Julie & Julia
Released In: 2009
Julie & Juliais a charming movie with a star-studded cast. The movie stars Amy Adams as Julie Powell and Meryl Streep as famous chef Julia Child. The movie sees Adams' Julie preparing the more than 500 recipes in Julia Child’s cookbook, and, while that may sound rather different,The Life ListandJulie & Juliaactually share a number of themes. In fact, throughout the movie, Julie also goes on a journey of self-discovery and experiences some major life changes.
Julie & Juliahas a considerably higher Rotten Tomatoes score thanEat, Pray, Lovedoes. Currently,Julie & Julia’sRotten Tomatoes scoresare 77% for critics and 70% for audiences. Compliments for the movie include the actresses' stellar performances, the writing, and the wholesome themes. While it may not be a journey borne out of a loss such as death or a divorce,Julie & Juliais a brilliant next watch for those who enjoyedThe Life List.
Julie & Juliais a brilliant next watch for those who enjoyedThe Life List.
6Wild
Released In: 2014
LikeThe Life List,Wildbegins with the loss of the protagonist’s mother. In this case, Cheryl Strayed (Reese Witherspoon) is grieving the loss of her mother, Bobbi (Laura Dern), and she channels that grief into an incredible 1,100-mile solo hike on the Pacific Crest Trail. This journey took months and was incredibly harrowing, but those challenges ultimately helped Cheryl come to terms with the loss of her mother and heal.
Wild’sRotten Tomatoes scoresare even higher, with a current 88% score with critics and 75% with audiences. The movie received praise for its charm, emotion, and vulnerability, and Witherspoon’s performance in particular has received recognition. Given the event that triggers each protagonist’s journey is the death of their mother,Wildis a truly perfect next watch for those who are looking for a movie likeThe Life List.
5Grey’s Anatomy
Released In: 2005
Grey’s Anatomyhas absolutely dominated television for decades, and it is actually one ofthe longest-running TV show franchisesof all time. The show centers on titular character Meredith Grey, who has become a world-renowned surgeon, in addition to experiencing years of terrible losses, major life events, and massive victories. Although Meredith has long been the focus of the show, it is her half-sister Maggie who has an arc that makes the show perfect for those who likedThe Life List.
InGrey’s Anatomy, Maggie learns that her adoptive mother, Diane, is dying of breast cancer. After trying every medical intervention she could think of, Maggie finally accepts that her mother is dying, and she helps her mother pass peacefully. Of course, there are numerous seasons for audiences to watch beyond this arc, butaudiences who were affected by the mother-daughter relationship inThe Life Listwill be touched by thisGrey’s Anatomyarc.
The Life List Review: I Was Charmed By This Cozy, Heartwarming Dramedy That Proves Sofia Carson Is A Netflix Queen
While The Life List can’t entirely avoid some shallowness, it’s a cozy watch with a strong message made stronger by Sofia Carson’s performance.
4P.S. I Love You
Released In: 2007
P.S. I Love Youstars Hilary Swank as Holly and Gerard Butler as Gerry. Tragically, Gerry becomes ill and dies, leaving Holly without her beloved husband. However, he does not completely leave Holly on her own, as, during his battle with his sickness, Gerry wrote and scheduled a series of letters to be sent to Holly on an ongoing basis following his death.This storyline involving Holly receiving letters as she mourns the loss of her husband is very similar to Alex receiving her mother’s messages via DVD inThe Life List.
P.S. I Love Youis therefore a perfect fit for audiences who enjoyedThe Life List, althoughP.S. I Love Youevidently has critics and audiences shockingly divided.P.S. I Love You’sRotten Tomatoes scores are entirely split, with the critic score currently sitting at just 25%, whereas the audience score is 80%. While a gap this significant is a shock, this certainly suggests that audiences largely enjoyP.S. I Love You, making it a perfect next watch afterThe Life List.
3The Fault In Our Stars
Arguably the saddest movie on this list,The Fault in Our Starstells the devastating story of two teenagers with cancer who fall in love. Shailene Woodley plays Hazel, and Ansel Elgort plays Gus, the two stars of the movie (although Woodley is the clear protagonist). Unfortunately,The Fault in Our Starshas a beautiful and realistic ending, but it isn’t necessarily a happy one.
Despite that,The Fault in Our Starsis a great fit for those who lovedThe Life List, as it shares similar themes with that movie, and reinforces the importance of love, family, and living one’s life to the fullest.The Fault in Our Starsis widely praised, and, unlikeP.S. I Love You, has a high rating across the board.The Fault in Our Star’sRotten Tomatoes scoresare currently 81% for critics and 85% for audiences. This movie is undoubtedly a tear-jerker, but it is absolutely worth the watch.
2Silver Linings Playbook
Released In: 2012
Silver Linings Playbookis unique on this list in part because it feels so much more like a comedy than many of the other movies. It stars Jennifer Lawrence as Tiffany and Bradley Cooper as Pat, both of whom are struggling with their mental health and develop complex feelings for one another despite their complex circumstances. Although that might sound distinct from the story ofThe Life List,like Alex inThe Life List, both Tiffany and Pat undergo major transformations inSilver Linings Playbook.
Silver Linings Playbookis largely hailed as a brilliant movie, and the Rotten Tomatoes scores make that evident. Currently,Silver Linings Playbook’sRotten Tomatoes scoresare 86% for audiences and an impressive 92% for critics. While it might not be an exact fit for the story arc ofThe Life List, audiences will recognize the heart, optimism, and charm ofThe Life ListinSilver Linings Playbook.
Audiences will recognize the heart, optimism, and charm ofThe Life ListinSilver Linings Playbook.
1Life As A House
Released In: 2001
Finally,Life as a Houseis the single best movie for fans ofThe Life Listto watch next.Life as a Housestars Hayden Christensen as Sam Monroe, a troubled teen who has a strained relationship with his father. Sam’s father, George Monroe (Kevin Kline), asks him to live with him and help him rebuild his house, but Sam has no idea that his father is terminally ill with cancer. Not only is this one ofHayden Christensen’s best roles, but it is also a truly touching story.
Yet again, audiences and critics are divided, givenLife as a House’sRotten Tomatoes scoresare currently 47% for critics and 88% for audiences. Although critics reviewed the movie less favorably,Life as a Houseis a brilliantly acted, touching story about a father and son’s relationship and a son learning to live with loss and find his way. Of all the movies and shows that are great fits for those who lovedThe Life List,Life as a Houseis the best of them all.
